ludlow



(No Model.)

W. I. LUDLOW.-

COMBINED CARPET STRETOHBR AND TAOKER, No. 425,137.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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UNITED STATES FFICE.

\VASHINGTON I. LUDLOV, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVE- LAND VVINDO\V SHADE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COMBINED CARPET STRETCHER AND TACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,137, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed September 6,1889. Serial No. 323,191- (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WASHINGTON I. LUD- LOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Carpet Stretchers and Tackers, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to that class :0 of tools or appliances used for simultaneously stretching and tacking carpets, and the purpose thereof is to provide simple and easilyoperated means whereby the carpet may be stretched and its edge brought to 'the proper I 5 position preparatory to the insertion of a tack or fastening, and whereby the fastenings which secure the carpet to the floor may be fed consecutively to the point of insertion by automatic but positive means and driven through the edge of the carpet into the floor by a hammer in the hands of the operator, said hammer acting upon a spring-raised plunger in the head of the stretcher to drive a fastening which is fed automatically through the handle of the implement.

It is also one purpose of my invention to combine with the stretching and tacking implement simple and novel means for automatically feeding forward the fasteners to the stroke of the driver, to provide a stretcherstaif with a detachable tacking and feeding arm, and to simplify and improve the several 7 parts composing the compound implement or tool; and to the ends specified the invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention,Iwill now describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stretcher and tacker embodying my invention. Fig. 2

is a horizontal section of the tacking'and feeding arm shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asectional view of the tacker-head and feedingarm, showing the construction and arrangement of the driver relatively to the feeder. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective of the separator; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the feeder removed from the-tacking and feeding arm, said Figs. 2, 3, 4-, and 5 being on an enlarged scale.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 designates the stretcher staff or pole, which 5 5 is usually made of wood of any suitable length. It may be provided at one end with claws 2, or other similar devices, and at the opposite extremity is mounted a forked bracket 3, having in each branch or member of the bifurcated end a slot 4, extending from the ends of the fork to a seat 5, formed in each forked extremity. The stretcher-arm 0 is connected to this staff by being inserted between the arms of the fork, its end being provided with outwardly-projecting studs 7, which enter the slots 4 and lie in the seats 5. By this construction the stretcher staff and arm may be readily connected and disconnected to permit the arm to be used sepa- 7o rately where the staff is not required and to permit the insertion of the fasteners.

The stretcher-arm 6 is provided with a longitudinal opening of such form and dimensions as to readily admit the insertion of a fiat fastener-carrying bar 8. The fiat staples 9 are straddled upon the bar, fitting the same closely, but sliding freely thereon. Within the opening in which said bar is introduced lies a feeder 10, composed of a metallic plate bent to inclose the bar 8, and having wings 12 extending from its forward end and lying upon the sides of the bar 8, said wings being bent toward each other in such manner that as the bar 8,with the fasteners mounted there- 8 5 on, is pushed into the arm 6 the wings will yield and permit their passage, but will spring in against the sides of the bar as soon as the fasteners have passed. Upon the outer faces of the feeder 10 are formed lugs 13, which project through longitudinal slots 1 1 in the sides of the arm 6, and by means of which the feeder can be pushed forward or retracted.

Upon the forward end of the arm 6 is mounted a tacker-head or driving-head 15, arranged at a suitable angle with the arm. This head is substantially cylindrical in form, and is provided upon its lower end with teeth 16, which are adapted to engage the carpet at or near its edges.

XVithin the driving-head, which is provided with a longitudinal opening for the purpose, is arranged a driver consisting of a cylindrical body 17, having a collar 18, which en- 10 5 gages a shoulder 19 on the interior of the head to limit the upward movement of the driver, and provided with a flat driving-plate 20, which drops downward until its end lies normally just above the plane of the tops of the staples or fasteners a, in which position the end of the bar 8 abuts against the lower end of the plugavhereby said bar is prevented from passing beneath and obstructing the driver, while the bar isheld in proper position to feed the fasteners successively beneath the driving-plate.

Surrounding the plate 20 is a spiral spring 21, resting against the collar 18 at one end and at the other end against the top of a feeding or separating plug 22, composed of a cylindrical piece of metal entering the lower end of the driving-head and held in place therein by a screw An opening or recess 24, corresponding substantially with the opening in the arm 6, is formed in the eylindriealface of this separator, facing the opening in the arm and extending to a point a little beyond the axial center of the sepzirator. The ends of the separator extend above and below the ends of the recess 24, and through each end or head is cut a central slot of a length and width to allow the free passage of the flat driving-plate 20, which moves in close proximity to or against the flat face of the reeess 24. e

The feeder 10 is fed forward by an ordinary elastic band 26, passing around the driving head and looped over the lugs 13, which pro jcct through the slots Lt in the arm, one or more of such bands being used, as circumstances may require.

The implement is operated in the following manner: The staples, which are formed of uniform size, or substantially so, form a flat metal strip straddled upon the bar 8, as already described, and the bar is then inserted in the arm 6, the feeder 10 being retracted until the lugs 13 reach the rear ends of the slots ll or until the wings 1:? spring against the hat faces of the bar 8 in rear of the string of staples. The bar 8 being pushed forward until its end enters the recess 2% in the plug 22 and rests against the lower end of the plug, the arm (3 is mounted in the fork 3 of the stretcher-staff l by means of the studs 7, which enter the slots 4- in the forked bracket and pass into the seats 5. The claw i on the end of the staff is then braced against any convenient: support; or it may be hooked into the carpet at a suitable distance from the edge to be tacked, and the arm h being turned to form an angle with the staff 1. the head is placed upon the edge of the carpet in such manner that its teeth 1b engage therewith, and the operator then exerts sufficient pressure to bring the arm 6 and staff 1 into the same straight line, or as nearly so as circumstances may require. \Vhen the edge of the carpet is in place, a light blow is struck with the hammer upon the cylindrical part 17 of the driver, thereby forcing the flat plate 20 down through the separator N, a staple being carried with it and driven. The spring 21 immediately restores the driver to place, and the feeder 10, under the tension of the rubber band or bands, immediately advances the string of staples upon the bar 8 and flares the forward staple immediately beneath the driving-plate 20,in readiness for a repetition of the operation. Then the fasteners are exhausted, the bar 8 is removed, and another similar bar, provided with a fresh supply, is substituted.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. The combination, in a carpet stretcher and t acker, of a stretcher-arm having at one end a head provided with teeth to engage a carpet, a reciprocating tack-driver confined in said head, a tack carrying bar in the stretcher-arm, and a spring-impelled tackfeeder embracing and sliding on the tackcarrying bar, and having at one end two converging spring-wings which yield laterally to permit the passage of the tacks on the tackcarrying bar and then spring back in rear of the tacks to advance them, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a carpet stretcher and tacker, of a stretcher-arm having longitudinal slots and ahead provided. with teeth to engage a carpet, a reciprocating tackdriver confined in said head, a tack-carrying bar in the strctcher-arnna sliding tack-feeder embracing the tack-carrying bar having lateral lugs extending through the slots in the stretcher-arm, and provided at its front end with two converging spring-wings which yield laterally to permit the passage of the tacks on the tzwk-earrying bar and then spring back in rear of the tacks to advance the latter, and a spring connected with the head and the lateral lugs to slide the said feeder, sub stantially as described.

3. A carpet stretcher and tacker consisting of a stretcher-staff, a hollow stretcher-arm jointed to said staff and having a tubular driving-head provided with teeth to engage the carpet, a tacleseparating plug arranged in the driving-head and having a vertical orilice and a lateral or side opening to receive the tacks, a tack-driver having a collar, a spring between the collar and the upper end of the tackseparating plug, a tack-carrying bar abutting the said plug and having a portion extending thereinto to deliver the tacks to the vertical orifice, and a sliding feeder embracing the tack-carrying bar, and having at one end the converging s ring-\\"ings which yield laterally to permit the passage of the tacks and then spring back in rear of the latter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VASI lING'lON I. LU] LO W.

DANIEL R. TAYLOR, M. Y. llUTTON. 

